News briefs from across Northland

A digger at the intersection of State Highway 1 and Tarewa Rd where a fibre optic cable was accidentally cut during roadworks. Photo / John Stone

Whangarei broadband down

About 1500 customers in Whangārei were without broadband yesterday after a digger working on roadworks at the intersection of State Highway 1 and Tarewa Rd cut a fibre optic cable. The cut cable meant both residential and business customers in and around Whangārei were without a ultra-fast broadband connection. At about 3pm yesterday, the Northpower website said the service had been restored.

Highway roadworks

Road crews in Northland are going all-out on state highway maintenance and have already completed nearly half their summer programme of road re-sealing. NZ Transport Agency's Northland system manager, Jacqui Hori-Hoult, said 100km of highway resealing was completed across the Northland network by the end of November. "Northland has one of the country's biggest resealing programmes and we're aiming to do 230km of state highway this season by the end of March." In the lead-up to Christmas, and in anticipation of the holiday traffic that comes north, crews are concentrating this month on SH1 from the Brynderwyn Hills to Whangārei. Road re-sealing will pause over the Christmas–New Year holiday period. The crews are off the road from December 20 and start again on January 7.

Local markets

Monday Markets are coming to the Kaurihohore Hall as a way of building community and supporting local producers and crafts people. The Kaurihohore / Kamo Co-operating Parish received some funding from the Whangārei District Council Community Grants Fund to assist with hall hire and signage. The next market is on Monday, January 8, at Kaurihohore Hall, Apotu Rd, Kauri, from 9am to 2pm. Check out the facebook page for more details at www.facebook.com/Monday-Market-at-Kaurihohore-2179354265669617/.

Footbridge closed

Hatea Loop users will need to plan their after-work and early morning trips carefully today and tomorrow. The Kotuitui Whitinga footbridge will be closed while Whangārei District Council carries out night works tonight and tomorrow night. The footbridge will be closed from 8pm to 6am the next morning.